The Bournemouth Guide
Bournemouth · Dorset

Serviced Apartments in Bournemouth

Self-catering stays with a kitchen, a living room and space to spread out, from seafront aparthotels on the West Cliff to quiet flats a street back from the sand.

Bournemouth’s apartment stock runs from clifftop aparthotels above the pier to converted Victorian villas a street or two back from the sand. The choice matters less than the area: almost every apartment in this list puts the beach within a 15 minute walk, so pick the neighbourhood that fits your trip and the flat follows. Browse every apartment below, and use these notes to narrow the area first.

West Cliff, the apartment quarter

The West Cliff holds the town’s biggest cluster of serviced apartments and aparthotels, including the seven run by Flexiestays, who between them have about 130 serviced apartments in Bournemouth between the BIC and Alum Chine. The clifftop position means many flats look over Poole Bay, and the promenade below is reached by zig-zag paths or the West Cliff lift. You are a 10 to 15 minute walk from Bournemouth Pier, the Lower Gardens and the town centre, with free or on-site parking far more common than in the centre itself.

Town centre and East Cliff

Staying centrally suits visitors arriving by train: the station is a 20 minute walk or a short bus ride from the seafront, and the restaurants, shops and nightlife are on the doorstep. The East Cliff mirrors the West with a quieter, leafier feel and a string of apartment conversions close to the gardens. Both areas walk down to the beach through the gardens in around ten minutes.

Boscombe and Southbourne

East along the coast, Boscombe and Southbourne trade a central postcode for space, value and a more local pace. Boscombe has its own pier, a surf reef and a growing independent food scene; Southbourne’s clifftop grass and quieter sand suit families and longer stays. Frequent buses run the coast road into town, so a flat out here is not cut off from the things to do in the centre.

Choosing an apartment for your trip

For a classic beach week, prioritise the cliffs and check for a sea-facing balcony and parking. For a family stay, count the real beds, look for a washing machine and pick a flat near a beach with facilities, our Bournemouth with kids guide pairs well with this list. For a working stay or a relocation gap, long term stays in Bournemouth usually price well below the nightly rate and include bills and Wi-Fi, and booking direct with the operator is generally cheaper than an agency site; it is worth comparing the apartments in Bournemouth by size, floor and view before you settle on an area. Compare the wider options in where to stay, read the guide to the best areas to stay in Bournemouth, and check the map to see how each area sits against the coast.

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Common questions

Serviced Apartments in Bournemouth questions

What is a serviced apartment?

A serviced apartment is a self-catering flat you book like a hotel room: it comes furnished with a kitchen, a living area and usually a washing machine, with linen, cleaning and support included. You get more space than a hotel room and the freedom to cook and live at your own pace, which is why they suit families, couples on longer breaks and anyone working in the town for a stretch.

Which areas of Bournemouth have the most apartments?

The West Cliff has the largest concentration of aparthotels and serviced apartments, sitting on the clifftop a short walk above the beach and the pier. The East Cliff and the town centre carry more, and Boscombe and Southbourne offer quieter flats near their own stretches of sand. Wherever you pick, the same seven miles of beach runs below.

Are serviced apartments cheaper than hotels?

Per person they often work out cheaper, especially for families or groups, because one apartment replaces two hotel rooms and the kitchen replaces some restaurant meals. Longer stays usually unlock lower nightly rates than a short break, and booking directly with the operator generally costs less than booking through an agency site.

Do Bournemouth apartments allow dogs?

Some do, but policies differ property by property and sometimes flat by flat, so check the listing and confirm directly before booking. Bournemouth is a popular dog-holiday destination and several stretches of the beach allow dogs year-round, so it is worth finding a genuinely dog-friendly base rather than hoping on arrival.

How far are the apartments from the beach?

Most West Cliff and East Cliff apartments are within a 5 to 15 minute walk of the sand, reached by the zig-zag paths or the cliff lifts. Town-centre flats stroll down through the gardens to the pier, and Boscombe and Southbourne apartments sit close to their own beaches further east.

Are serviced apartments good for families?

They are one of the best options for a family beach holiday: separate bedrooms mean early nights for children without lights out for everyone, the kitchen handles breakfasts and packed lunches, and a washing machine deals with sandy clothes. The gently shelving beaches and the seafront attractions are all within easy reach of the main apartment areas.

Can I book a serviced apartment for a month or longer?

Yes. Longer stays are the model's strength: 28 nights or more usually brings the nightly rate well below the short-break price, bills and Wi-Fi are included, and there is no tenancy paperwork, deposit scheme or utility set-up. That makes apartments a practical base for work placements, relocations and winters by the sea.

Planning your visit?

Where to stay in Bournemouth

Clifftop hotels, serviced apartments a street back from the sand and the quieter beds out at Southbourne, with the areas each one suits.

Where to stay →